Orbea brings 2013 a new Racefully on the market, the Orbea Oiz. Not only the design convinces Orbea friends and newcomers alike, also the technology impresses, it breaks the 9-kilometer limit. We took a closer look at the new sweetheart.
by Rolf Fleckenstein
"Scott, Cannondale and BMC are out, Orbea is in", so a slogan could probably formulate the emerging success of the Spanish top brand (in Switzerland) somewhat provocatively, but if you consider what a legendary quality is in this bike, then this statement is also justified. Four years ago, Olympic champion Julien Absalon was still "rumbling" around with a da-mal Orbea Oiz, which weighed in at a proud 11.5 kg in its end customer version, in 2013 the bike is already sawing through the 9 kg barrier. The entire frame, drive and suspension concept, as well as the setting, can no longer be compared. It is sometimes hard to believe what happens in just four years, because there are between the model years but downright bike development light years.
Galaxies continue to evolve, 9-kilometer limit broken through
No more comparing how today's Oiz looks: The design, which fits perfectly into the rest of Orbea's MTB range with the Occam and Rallon models, is immediately convincing as well as its performance features and technology. Orbea's ambitious goal in building the new Oiz was to make the best bike for cross country racing. To build the lightest and frame stiffest bike in the world, the developers took 18 months accordingly. With a cross country full that comes under the mark of 9 kilograms to stand, the developers have also succeeded in a real throw, the bike thus already plays in the hardtail league. In the development of the new Oiz was also involved Catharine Pendrel as a test rider. The Canadian is one of the world's best mountain bikers in the discipline of cross country and finished 2012 in 4th place in the UCI world rankings. At the 2012 World Cup races in Mont Saint Anne, Canada and Windham, New York, USA, the bike was used by her for the first time. She won both races. Did Orbea build a winning bike? Pendrel's reaction after the tests were suitably positive: "I love the bike. On climbs it's a real dream and on descents it's stable and safe".
Good technology is half the victory
Actually, I would like to spare our readers from too much technology, that often just bores, after all, hardly any biker wants to have to do a basic course in bicycle engineering when reviewing a bike, but a few highlights must be highlighted and this new Racefully just has plenty of them.
The starting point of the new model were the criteria drive, lightness, stiffness and pedaling efficiency for everyday racing. The new OIZ was developed with the help of state-of-the-art virtual simulation software (Advanced Dynamics), which analyzes and studies the behavior of the bike and the rider on the computer. The insights gained led, among other things, to the increase and...
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